Fresh off the boat in SoBo

Polos rolls. Pics/Suresh Karkera

It's the little things that matter. And if you can throw a bit of imagination into the mix, it can make all the difference. Lakshit Shetty along with brothers Jai and Sahil Wadhwa of Hoppumm have done well to identify the benefit of thinking this way, and have imbibed it in its entirety for the second outlet of their Sri Lankan eatery, where simple pol rotis are elevated with a dab of butter flavoured with curry leaves or pol sambol.

Opening its doors today, Hoppumm's 2.0 version is located in the Cambata Building that also housed the now-shut Eros Cinema at Churchgate, and which earlier had a Continental eatery called Crave. With a bigger space and menu, this outlet has a little more to offer than their quick service Bandra outpost. The entrance, which leads to the kitchen and houses a reception desk, is bitty. And a lovely hand-painted mural and a flight of stairs lead you to the second floor, where the main seating area is. The decor, which is soothing and casual, draws inspiration from the country.

Egg chilli cheese spinach hopper

The food, this time, looks beyond a limited array of dishes and tries to incorporate more sub-traditions of Sri Lankan cuisine. So, you have badapu wambhatu maaluwa (Rs 210), a luscious eggplant stew prepared with mustard and spices, a newly introduced Sri Lankan chicken curry (Rs 250) featuring tender pieces of meat, but lacking the kick of flavours that's more prominent in other treats like the chicken pol roti (Rs 180), a meat-stuffed flatbread served with a smattering of delicious flavoured butter, or the polos rolls (Rs 250), which are crispy puff pastry tidbits with a tasty baby jackfruit filling.

Chicken pol roti

The opening of the outlet was preceded by a trip to the island country by the owners in June, and the experiences they gathered during their travels come through in delicacies like the cantaloupe prawn curry (Rs 300), a creamy and aromatic curry with a coconut-milk base and juicy prawns, named after the famous Cantaloupe hotels in Sri Lanka, where Shetty and the Wadhwa brothers spent time learning about indigenous recipes. Among the new offerings, there's also beverages and desserts, like a refreshingly sweet watermelon and jalapeno cooler (Rs 150) that has a lingering spiciness, and coconut dumplings (Rs 100), which are these saccharine moneybags served with mango yoghurt.

Badapu Wabatu Maaluva

What is surprising though is how one feels fairly light despite a feast. The choice of natural ingredients and sweeteners like rice flour and jaggery might have helped towards that end, making this an ideal spot for SoBo-ites looking for a quick, affordable and authentic meal.

At: Hoppumm, Cambata Building, Maharshi Karve Road, Churchgate.
Opens Today: 11.30 am to 3.30 pm; 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm
Call: 22886012

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates